City Council approves low-income housing project for Highland Park
Topic requested...Please click onto the COMMENTS for the story.
posted by Bob at Thursday, September 17, 2009
Custom Search
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A DEMOCRACY TOWN HALL HOME
Do you have a topic you want to discuss at the Town Hall? Email your request to A_Democracy@yahoo.com
“A DEMOCRACY” Disclaimer- While the administrators and moderators of this forum will attempt to remove or edit any generally objectionable material as quickly as possible, it is impossible to review every message. Therefore you acknowledge that all posts made to this forum express the views and opinions of the author and not the administrators, moderators (except for posts by these people) and hence will not be held liable.
You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to you being immediately and permanently banned
THE ROOF GUYS
Mickey's Diner 1950 7th Street West, St Paul, MN
(651) 698-8387
AX-MAN SURPLUS
1639 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel:(651)646-8653
LANDLORD.COM LINK HERE
SHHHH! While we listen to words of wisdom from a wise man.
Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong. A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
Dr APJ Kalam, President of India given during the inauguration of the seminar on “THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Previous Posts
- Coleman challenger Ng asks for 7 debates during ma...
- Neighborhood Upgrading
- Monthlong sit-in ends as woman forced out of home
- Unlicensed superintendent in charge of St. Paul Pu...
- St. Paul's new pigeon policy: Just fight the poop
- Klobuchar wants to limit formaldehyde exposure
- Even Babies Discriminate
- BigGovernment.com implicates ACORN in prostitution...
- Anniversaries, birthdays and elections
- BUSINESS AS USUAL/ Man, 23, says St. Paul police o...
16 Comments:
By Dave Orrick
dorrick@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 09/16/2009 08:15:26 PM CDT
Arguing that St. Paul needs affordable housing in all of its neighborhoods, the City Council Wednesday night unanimously overrode a city panel and neighborhood opposition, clearing the way for a nonprofit to build a 44-unit housing project in Highland Park.
The plan by Project for Pride in Living — to construct a single building, playground and parking lots at West Seventh Street at Stewart Avenue — also enjoyed support from many in the neighborhood, as well as a number of faith-based groups that support building low-income housing.
In that sense, the debate encapsulated the thorny issue of public assistance housing, especially in today's economy of tight credit, falling home values and rising unemployment.
"Unfortunately, unanimity in urban development, especially with affordable housing, is hard to achieve," Steve Cramer, executive director of PPL, told the council during a public hearing before the vote. He was referring to the spectrum of opinions among neighbors, who circulated petitions both for and against it. The Highland District Council came out against the project.
Technically, the issue before the City Council was whether the Board of Zoning Appeals had erred in denying the plan based on its size — too small a parcel — and parking needs, both of which didn't conform to neighborhood building requirements.
But as those for and against the project stated their case, under the surface was the stigma of Section 8 housing, often described as "impact to the neighborhood." PPL plans to set aside 18 units in the L-shaped building for federal housing vouchers, including 10 for homeless individuals or families. The remaining units will be restricted to low-income individually and "low- to moderate-income families," subject to the vetting of PPL, which operates 13 low-income housing units in the area.
Chandra Gruber, who lives within two houses of the project, led a slide show presentation arguing that PPL didn't really try purchase enough parcels to meet the neighborhood requirements, which actually demand a larger parcel of land. Cramer said PPL stopped trying to expand the project after negotiations broke down with one homeowner who thought his home was worth more than PPL was willing to offer. She also disputed Cramer's characterization of a need for affordable housing in the neighborhood.
Gruber also pointed to an estimate that the project would bring 174 new residents into the neighborhood, which lacks adequate park space. "That's kind of going to change my backyard," she said.\
Highland Council board member Paul Krech said he felt the entire approval process, which included six public meetings, was unfair to neighborhood concerns. He described it as a "shove-it-down-your-throat process." He said he wasn't against affordable housing and acknowledged a need might exist for more in the city: "Can't we find a way to come together and find a place to put this? My neighborhood is not it."
Resident Kelly Jones Hicks said she started out against the project but changed her mind when a friend of hers developed health problems and found herself applying for housing assistance.
"She's now on the waiting list," she said. "There's definitely a need for more of this housing."
There may be a need, but financing is hard to come by these days, said Matt Soucek, manager for PPL. He said not all of the project's $12-million price tag is lined up.
Hats off to Pat Harris for supporting the project.
I have known all of the Ward 3 reps since we went to a ward system and many of them have said that they would support affordable housing in Highland. Its just none of them actually did anything about it.
I have known Pat for years and know him to be someone who donates his time and effort at many charitable causes and with no fan fare. There is no media with him when he volunteers at Dorothy Day.
It would have been very easy to have voted with the neighbors and protect his seat. Hell, he could have asked the other members to vote for it and be the loan vote against it like many cowards vote.
It takes guts to stand up to pressure.
I am proud to know him.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck seems like the middle man in all these profit sharing profits with the city council click.
By the way, what is Kathy's cut with these skimmers.
Chris Coleman has his hands in the cookie jar.
Chuck
Where is the money coming from for this low income housing.
I have no idea where PPL is getting their funding for the project. I assume some combination of donation and Federal dollars. They are a pretty highly regarded non-profit that not only does affordable housing but does some life management issues work as well.
I am not involved in the project.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
WmSmithrud v. CitySTPaul copy the URL before the Court takes it down
This Pro Se will bring the court to its knees Electronically
City Demo buildings for nonprofits to House the Homeless, Violate the Health of the ole timers. Sick17. A08-2003
Leroy Smithrud, Appellant, vs. City of St. Paul, Respondent.
Affirmed. Judge Terri J. Stoneburner.
Ramsey County District Court, Hon. J. Thomas Mott.
ning.
Anonymous said...
I have no idea where PPL is getting their funding for the project. I assume some combination of donation and Federal dollars. They are a pretty highly regarded non-profit that not only does affordable housing but does some life management issues work as well.
I am not involved in the project.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
2:52 PM
What Non Profit project or programs are you involed with?
4 Educational Great Web Site LandMark Decision http://livinglies.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/kansas-supreme-court-sets-precedent-key-decision-confirming-livinglies-strategies/#comment-25592
How many Homes are "taken" with this 44 unit Code states 2ares,
only 1+ Underground Parking,
City Council is arbitrary,Capericous, violating Code for their own selfish interests, contrary to neighborhood.
So Chuck,
The Highland Community Council AND the PZC both voted against this project - but the City Council overrode them?
If you'd be so kind, please give us a reason this isn't just another example of the corrupt nepotism that is slowly destroying this city?
I mean, if that's OK with you?
Oh, and this really is hilarious. Did anyone else catch this?
Last year, the City Council took *Four Fucking Thousand Units Of Housing* off the market, even though 90% of them were perfectly habitable (by any standard that anyone not involved in Saint Paul city government would understand) and most of them were, d/t the foreclosure crisis, much more affordable per unit than city/public housing.
We accused the city of running this as a scam to funnel funding to the City Council's non-profit butt-buddies and, eventually, to funnel acres of free-to-nearly-free property to them as well.
It seems we were right and Repke, as usual, is lying to cover for his masters.
Someday there will be justice in this city, and people like Chuck Repke will be breaking rocks for along, long time.
Wow - OK a couple of things.
First, for something to be "corrupt nepotism" somebody's relative would have to get something.
This was a zoning variance folks. They happen every other week at the BZA. It isn't unusual for the city council to over rule one way or another one of their decisions either.
Much of the high buck housing in that area could have gotten some of the same variances.
My comment was that I thought is was pretty classy for Harris to stand up for low income housing over the objections of the neighborhood. That takes guts.
Should they have gotten the variance or not.. I don't know, I didn't pay that much attention to it. But, Harris had guts.
Nobody on the council "gets" anything out of these deals.
As to what non-profit development I am associated with? Just North East Neighborhoods Development Corporation on the East Side of Saint Paul.
And, as to the clown who thinks I will end up in jail.... do you know how many people look over my stuff with the mouth I have on me? Taxes up to date you can find them on Guidestar... outside audits every year...
I have been posting on this list since it started and regularly there are people asking for Freedom of Info stuff for every email between me and Thune or me and Lantry and so on and so on... just heard about another one last week...
JMONTOMEPPF
Chuck Repke
First, for something to be "corrupt nepotism" somebody's relative would have to get something.
Ah. I picked the wrong term, so the whole point must be invalid.
CORRUPTION, Chuck! BY ANY NAME!
But I'll give you this; I don't think that you're dumb enough to put actionable material on a FOIA-accessible email. You and most of the other bag men on the take in this city will no doubt keep your communications offline and verbal, and you have to be routed out one wiretap, one snitch and one sting at a time.
3:15 - but they keep looking...
Everything I do is open to anyone. All of these evil non-profits that you scream about are simply businesses that work for a charitable purpose.
Most if not all of them have skill sets that transfer over into the private market and many of them do that when they decide to make money, instead of working in the non-profit world.
The city didn't take 4,000 houses of the market, foreclosures took 4,000 houses off of the market and best guess the city has knock down 100-200 pretty trashed out houses.
What the non-profit developer tries to do is create new affordable housing. Housing that is affordable by design not by accident.
There are thousands of houses for sale cheap that you can fix up and put on the rental market.
If you need a real estate agent. Call me.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
The name is not 3:15. It's Buck Stryker.
Everything I do is open to anyone. All of these evil non-profits that you scream about are simply businesses...
So is the Mafia.
Most if not all of them have skill sets that transfer over into the private market and many of them do that when they decide to make money, instead of working in the non-profit world.
Touching, and irrelevant.
The city didn't take 4,000 houses of the market, foreclosures took 4,000 houses off of the market and best guess the city has knock down 100-200 pretty trashed out houses.
Which is fine, except that you omit the good part.
The city past a law in 2008 stripping 80+% of the vacant buildings of Certificats of Occupancy (CoO) until they're brought up to current building codes. Which means a house with $200K of inflated paper that might fetch $50K will have to have a mininum of $100K in repair work done to get its CoO back. Without a CoO (or the exorbitant bonding and/or repairs required to get it), those 4,000 buildings are *never* going to sell...
...until the mortgageholders go tax forfeit (paid for by Fan and Fred!), the city launders them through the state to get rid of the tax obligations, and suddenly gets 4,000 properties to give to other non-profits or otherwise dispose of as they see fit.
Which is the part you never bother getting to, Chuck. Which is REALLY dishonest of you.
What the non-profit developer tries to do is create new affordable housing. Housing that is affordable by design not by accident.
Where "by design" means "affordable only with immense government subsidy", and "accident" means "because the market makes it affordable".
There are thousands of houses for sale cheap that you can fix up and put on the rental market.
Right. Including maybe 400 of the 4,000 registered and not-yet-registered vacant homes in St. Paul. The other 3,600 or so? Forget about it.
If you need a real estate agent. Call me.
Thanks, Chuck. But my next house is going to be in a city with a functioning multi-party government.
Appreciate the thought, though.
Affordable by design is that there is usually a subsidy from the government used to build a quality building with high standards that restricts how much one can charge for rent.
Affordable by accident is when you reduce the rent because no one that has any other option would rent there.
I know free market... get what you can out of a poor person works for you and it drives you crazy that there some of us who think the poor deserve to live in safe, clean housing.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
it drives you crazy that there some of us who think the poor deserve to live in safe, clean housing.
And that's where you and Eric's intellectual laziness trips you up.
As usual.
I am all for clean, safe housing. I'm just not under the delusion that...:
a) Government is the best, or even a good, source of same
b) that Saint Paul's current policy is about providing "clean, safe" housing for the poor. There is plenty of housing; it's cheaper than it's been in twenty years. "Clean" is both in the eye of the beholder; given a choice between homelessness, being on the government dole or a place I could afford that needed some cleaning, I'd pay the rent and buy some Murphy's.
It's easy for the intellectually lazy to demonize opposition ("We want the poor to freeze in deathtraps!") but DSI isn't about cleanliness or safety; it's about enacting the City Councils' wishes, and solidifying its bureaucratic position.
Post a Comment
<< Home